Make Presidents Day lessons ring true for studentsTeachers of all grade levels can address Presidents Day in the classroom by asking students what they would do if they were president, Rutgers University psychology professor Maurice Elias writes in this blog post. Elias also suggests a lesson in which students study presidents who overcame hard times. Embedded in these lessons, he notes, are social and emotional lessons that students can carry with them today, such as the importance of sticking with school work and of persevering through setbacks. Edutopia.org/Maurice Elias' blog
(2/12)

Text Pairs Make Complex Text AccessibleMatching informational texts for Grades 3-8+ look the same and provide similar content but at two different reading levels, so diverse students can learn about the same topics at the same time. Genre Workshop theme sets also contain text pairs along with other books that provide access to complex text at a range of reading levels. Free sampler.

School Leadership

Why gifted-education teachers should speak at conferencesGifted-education teachers should make presentations on the needs of such students at general-education conferences and to other groups, gifted-education teacher Tamara Fisher writes in this blog post. Fisher offers ideas on presentation topics and ways to start advocating for students who are gifted. "This will help to broaden awareness and knowledge of gifted and advanced learners... which in turn will help to increase the number of people and places that are better equipped to reach and understand gifted kids," she writes. Education Week Teacher/Unwrapping the Gifted blog
(2/10)

Turning research into actionMRL associates, personally trained by Dr. Robert J. Marzano, specialize in
long-term school-reform efforts for K-12 districts and schools. The depth and
breadth of their collective educational experience is staggering—and now you
can leverage it to add reach to yours. Learn more!

Technology in the Classroom

Online finance lessons teach students where their money goesStudents at an Ohio middle school are learning about budgeting, salary, taxes and other financial lessons through the online personal finance course, Banzai. As part of the lesson, students are given mock paychecks and shown the amount taken out for taxes and how much money must be set aside to pay for expenses, such as food and rent. Students also are taught about the risks of online scams and about the safe use of social-networking websites. The Blade (Toledo, Ohio)
(2/12)

Shake up your writing instruction. In Renew! literacy specialist Shawna Coppola provides a framework for rethinking how we teach the writing process, the tools we use, how we assess student writing, and our roles as writing teachers. A provocative, inspiring, and motivating read. Preview the entire book!

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Managing Budgets

Neb. crunches numbers on changes to education-funding formulaLarge and small school districts in Nebraska are divided over how the state's funding for education should be divided. Supporters on both sides are backing separate bills in the state Legislature. Under one bill, supported by larger districts, state funding for education would be reduced, but the funding formula would be altered to provide more funds for districts with at-risk populations, high tax levies and lower spending. A separate bill would allow for increases in tax levies for those districts seeking to qualify for state aid and also would limit budget growth. Omaha World-Herald (Neb.)
(2/12)

SmartReport on EdTech: The Back-to-School IssueSmartReport on EdTech is your back-to-school guide for all things education technology. Read about the highlights and takeaways from this year's ISTE Conference; find out what's keeping educators up at night; 5 tips for developing VR content creators; plus all of the latest innovative edtech products. Read it here.

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Policy Watch

Education takeaways from Obama's State of the Union addressPresident Barack Obama on Tuesday called for a greater investment in preschool for children, saying all students should have access to high-quality programs. In his State of the Union address, Obama also called for greater investment in modern school buildings, as well as rewards for high schools that offer high-tech curricula. In the Republican response to the address, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida called for an increased focus on Advanced Placement courses, vocational training and expanded school choice. Education Week/Politics K-12 blog
(2/12), CNN/Schools of Thought blog
(2/13)

Are NCLB waivers leading to less accountability?Few states are complying with federal accountability requirements under No Child Left Behind waivers when it comes to calculating the number of students graduating on time, according to a recent study by the Alliance for Excellent Education. The Washington, D.C.-based policy organization, launched by former West Virginia Gov. Bob Wise, found that while Delaware and New York have boosted graduation accountability for graduation rates, some states have relaxed -- or altogether ignored -- 2008 federal accountability requirements. ABC News/The Associated Press
(2/12)

Faculty Lounge

These teachers were made for walkingTeachers at an elementary school in Mississippi are tracking their steps using pedometers. Each pedometer is outfitted with a USB port, allowing the 65 participating educators to record their progress by plugging the "smart" pedometers into a kiosk in the school library. The goal is that teachers will lower their body mass index by the end of the program. The Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, Miss.)
(2/12)

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ASCD News

Make your next summarization activity interactive, artistic, kinestheticIn a recent Inservice post, ASCD communications specialist Julia Liapidova shares a summarization technique from Rick Wormeli's "Summarization in Any Subject." The technique, called "body sculpture," will get students collaborating, moving and thinking creatively as they determine the attributes of a concept or idea, then create a frozen tableau that represents those essentials. Read on.

Keepin' it real: Preparation pathways that "work"In a recent post, ASCD EDge community member Fred Ende contributes to the current ASCD Forum discussion around the role and responsibility of educator preparation programs to foster and sustain effectiveness. "There are a number of issues we need to consider in order to make sure that folks new to the profession aren't left picking their jaws up off the floor when they realize all that teaching involves," he writes. Read on.